The drawings are intended to be illustrative and symbolic representations of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention and as such they are not necessarily drawn to scale. In addition, and for purposes of clarity, like reference numerals have been used to designate like features throughout the several views of the drawings.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements, and more particularly to
Load-bearing framing assembly 10 also includes a pair of spaced apart vertical jamb members 200a and 200b, each with a C-shaped cross-section 202a and 202b, respectively. The spaced apart jamb members 200a and 200b define an opening 300 therebetween with bottom 302. As appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the vertical jamb members 200a and 200b may be disposed within a U-shaped bottom track or bottom runner 400. In this manner, the bottom 302 of the opening 300 occurs along the inside surface 404 of the web 402 of the bottom runner 400.
Each of the vertical jamb members 200a and 200b includes a pair of apertures 240 and 242 (best seen in
Referring to
Header members 100a and 100b may include a generally C-shaped cross-section 102. The C-shaped cross-section 102 may include a planar web 104 flanked along its opposing horizontal edges 106 and 108 by flanges 110 and 112, respectively. Flanges 110 and 112 extend perpendicularly from the web 104 in substantially the same direction and for substantially the same distance from the web 104. Optionally, flanges 110 and 112 may be bent along edges 114 and 116 to form a pair of lips 118 and 120 that are perpendicular to the flange from which they extend. The lips 118 and 120 are generally parallel to the web 104 and extend from edges 114 and 116 toward each other. In one embodiment, header members 100a and 100b are constructed from a section of a standard C-shaped metal stud.
Referring to
Web 204 includes two apertures 240 and 242 located distance d from the bottom 302 of the opening 300. Referring to
In one embodiment, the vertical height of the apertures 240 and 242 is larger than the vertical height of the C-shaped cross-section 102 of the header member 100a or 100b received therein allowing vertical movement of the header member 100a or 100b within the aperture 240 or 242. In this manner, the header members 100a and 100b can be positioned vertically to achieve a square and plumb load-bearing framing assembly 10. Additionally, the width of the apertures 240 and 242 may be larger than the width of the C-shaped cross-section 102 of header member 100a or 100b allowing lateral movement of the header member 100a or 100b within aperture 240 or 242. In this manner, the header members 100a and 100b can be rotated within the apertures 240 and 242 and/or positioned laterally to achieve a square and plumb load-bearing framing assembly 10. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, spacers and shims (not shown) may be used to limit or prevent movement of the header members 100a and 100b within the apertures 240 and 242.
Apertures 240 and 242 define a spacer section 260 therebetween. Spacer section 260 determines the lateral spacing of the horizontal header members 100a and 100b. In embodiments including C-shaped jamb members 200a and 200b each including a longitudinal opening occurring opposite the web 204, the spacer section 260 may act as a guide that directs the end sections 140a, 140b, 160a, and 160b of the header members 100a and 100b into lips 118 and 120. In this manner, the end sections 140a, 140b, 160a, and 160b of the header members 100a and 100b abut the lips 118 and 120 of each jamb member 200a and 200b instead of passing through the longitudinal opening in the jamb member 200a and 200b. The spacer section 260 may also limit the lateral movement of the header members 100a and 100b and provide opposition to inwardly directed lateral forces. In particular, the spacer section 260 may limit the lateral movement of the header members 100a and 100b during the attachment of fasteners 280 that provide an inwardly directed lateral force on the portion of the web 104 occurring along the first end sections 140a and 140b and second end sections 160a and 160b.
Referring to
Jamb member 500 includes a C-shaped cross-section 502 including a planar web 504 flanked along its opposing horizontal edges 506 and 508 by flanges 510 and 512, respectively. Flanges 510 and 512 extend perpendicularly from the web 504 in substantially the same direction and for substantially the same distance from the web 504. The flanges 510 and 512 may be bent along edges 514 and 516 to form a second pair of flanges 519 and 521 that extend from edges 514 and 516 toward each other for a predetermined distance. The second pair of flanges 519 and 521 may be bent along edges 523 and 525 to form a pair of lips 527 and 529. In this embodiment, the lips 527 and 529 extend from edges 523 and 525 toward the web 504. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, while the cross-sectional shape of jamb member 500 varies from the cross-sectional shape of jamb member 200b, apertures 540 and 542 may be shaped, sized, located, and constructed in the same manner as apertures 240 and 242 of jamb member 200b.
Referring to
Referring to
Load-bearing framing assembly 10 may include an optional U-shaped bottom track 720. Bottom track 720 may include a horizontal web 722 flanked by two vertical flanges or sidewalls 724 and 726. The inside surface of the web 722 of the bottom track 720 may be positioned adjacent to the bottom surfaces formed by the outside surfaces of flanges 110 of the header members 100a and 100b. In one embodiment, the inside surface of the horizontal web 722 of the bottom track 720 is attached to the header members 100a and 100b with the vertical sidewalls 724 and 726 of the bottom track 720 extending upwardly. In this configuration, the bottom track 720 cradles the bottom surfaces of the header members 100a and 100b, sandwiching the header members 100a and 100b between the vertical sidewalls 724 and 726 of the bottom track 720. The positioning of the bottom track 720 along the bottom surfaces of the header members 100a and 100b may be adjusted to achieve a square and plumb opening 300. The bottom track 720 may be affixed to the header members 100a and 100b by any method known in the art including fastening the sidewalls 724 and 726 of the bottom track 720 to the webs 104 of the header members 100a and 100b with fasteners 730 such as screws.
Insulation 180 may be installed in the cavities of the C-shaped header members 100a and 100b and into the longitudinal separation between the parallel horizontal header members 100a and 100b. In one embodiment, insulation 180 includes a generally rectilinear insulating element 182 configured for insertion into the ends of the header members 100a and 100b. Rectilinear insulating element 182 may include a pair of parallel longitudinal channels or grooves 184 located along both its top and bottom surfaces for receiving the lips 118 and 120 of each header member 100a and 100b. Alternatively, insulation 180 may include loose insulating material capable of being packed into the cavities of and longitudinal separation between the C-shaped header members 100a and 100b. Insulation 180 may be constructed from any suitable insulating material including Styrofoam, fiberglass, glass wool, and the like.
With reference to
The first end sections 140a and 140b of the header members 100a and 100b are inserted into the apertures 240 and 242 of the first jamb member 200a until the first end sections 140a and 140b abut the lips 218 and 220 of the first jamb member 200a. Alternatively, in embodiments where jamb member 200a is constructed with the C-shaped profile consistent with that of jamb member 500, the first end sections 140a and 140b are inserted until they abut the lips 527 and 529. Optionally, insulation 180 may be inserted into the cavities of the C-shaped header members 100a and 100b and into the longitudinal separation between the parallel horizontal header members 100a and 100b. With respect to embodiments of insulation 180 including a rectilinear insulating element 182, rectilinear insulating element 182 may be inserted into the end of end sections 160a and 160b passing through the cavities of the C-shaped header members 100a and 100b and/or longitudinal separation between the parallel horizontal header members 100a and 100b until the inserted end of rectilinear insulating element 182 abuts the web 204 of jamb member 200a.
Next, the second end sections 160a and 160b of the header members 100a and 100b are inserted into the apertures 240 and 242 of the second jamb member 200b until the second end sections 160a and 160b abut the lips 218 and 220 of the second jamb member 200b. Alternatively, in embodiments where jamb member 200a is constructed with the C-shaped profile consistent with that of jamb member 500, the first end sections 140a and 140b are inserted until they abut the lips 527 and 529. Then, the second vertical jamb member 200b is affixed to the top and bottom runner 420 and 400 using any of the methods suitable for affixing the first jamb member 200a therebetween. The portions of the web 104 of the first end sections 140a and 140b and second end sections 160a and 160b of the header members 100a and 100b adjacent to the flanges 210 and 212 of the jamb members 200a and 200b may be affixed thereto with fasteners 280 that extend inwardly through the flanges 210 and 212 of the jamb members 200a and 200b into the portion of the web 104 of the header members 100a and 100b adjacent thereto.
Optional U-shaped top track 700 may be installed along to the top surfaces of the header members 100a and 100b by inserting fasteners 708 such as screws into the inside surface of the horizontal web 702 of the top track 700 through the flanges 112 of the header member 100a and 100b. A portion of the load applied to the top runner 420 may be transferred to the header members 100a and 100b by installing kicker studs 910 between the top runner 420 and top track 700. As described above, the kicker studs 910 may be affixed to the top track 700 between the sidewalls 704 and 706 by any method known in the art for effecting such an attachment. Optional bottom track 720 may be installed along the bottom surfaces of the header members 100a and 100b by inserting fasteners 730 such as screws into the sidewalls 724 and 726 of the bottom track 720 and into the webs 104 of the header members 100a and 100b. The attachment of optional bottom track 720 to header members 100a and 100b may be adjusted to achieve a square and plumb opening 300.
With reference to
The open edges of the apertures 640 and 642 are disposed within the U-shaped top runner 420 and are immediately adjacent to the inside surface 424 of the web 422 of the top runner 420. The first end sections 140a and 140b of the header members 100a and 100b are inserted into the apertures 640 and 642 of the first jamb member 600a until the first end sections 140a and 140b abut the lips 618 and 620 of the first jamb member 600a. The top surface of the header members 100a and 100b formed by the outer surfaces of flanges 112 is positioned against the inside surface 424 of the web 422 of the top runner 420. In this manner, a portion of the downwardly directed load applied to the top runner 420 may be transferred to the header members 100a and 100b. As described above, optional insulation 180 may be inserted into the cavities of the C-shaped header members 100a and 100b and into the longitudinal separation between the parallel horizontal header members 100a and 100b.
Next, the second end sections 160a and 160b of the header members 100a and 100b are inserted into the apertures 640 and 642 of the second jamb member 600b until the second end sections 160a and 160b abut the lips 618 and 620 of the second jamb member 600b. The portions of the web 104 of the first end sections 140a and 140b and second end sections 160a and 160b of the header members 100a and 100b adjacent to the flanges 610 and 612 of the jamb members 200a and 200b may be affixed thereto with fasteners 280 that extend inwardly through the flanges 610 and 612 of the jamb members 600a and 600b into the portion of the web 104 of the header members 100a and 100b adjacent thereto. Similarly, fasteners 280 may be used to attach the jamb members 600a and 600b to the top runner 420. In this configuration, fasteners 280 extend inwardly through three layers metal including one of the sidewalls 426 or 428 of the top runner 420, one of the flanges 610 or 612 of jamb member 600a or 600b, and portion of the web 104 of header member 100a or 100b. The web 104 of the header members 100a and 100b may be fastened to the sidewall 426 or 428 of the top runner 420 with fasteners 430. An optional bottom track 720 of the same type described with reference to
While the present invention has been described in the context of the embodiments illustrated and described herein, the invention may be embodied in other specific ways or in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing descriptions, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.